Jaipur: Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has applied for a pension as a former Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly (MLA), the Assembly Secretariat confirmed on Friday. The necessary proceedings to approve his application are underway.
Dhankhar, who recently resigned from the post of Vice President, had earlier served as an MLA from Rajasthan. He was elected to the 10th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in 1993 from the Kishangarh constituency in Ajmer district on a Congress ticket, serving until 1998. During his tenure, he was also a member of the Assembly’s Rules Committee from 1994 to 1997.
Under Rajasthan rules, every former MLA is entitled to a monthly pension of ₹35,000. In addition, there are age-based increments: former legislators above 70 years of age receive a 20 per cent increase, while those above 80 receive 30 per cent. At 74, Dhankhar qualifies for the 20 per cent hike, bringing his pension to around ₹42,000 per month. The amount will increase further if he crosses 80.
Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani confirmed that Dhankhar’s application has been received and is being processed. Once formalities are complete, he will start receiving the pension.
Dhankhar has had a long and distinguished career in public life. Apart from serving as an MLA in Rajasthan, he has been a Member of the Lok Sabha and held ministerial positions at the Centre. His elevation to the office of Vice President of India in 2022 marked the peak of his political journey. With this application, he joins the list of former legislators entitled to pension benefits from the Rajasthan Assembly.